Secret Red

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Zoe was upset when they broke up. Then, remember the night I accompanied her to the party? We met Tristan there. He was making out with another girl... Zoe was spanning and she started yelling and hitting him... which riled him up so he grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her out the foyer then threw her like she's some kind of rag. That infuriated her so she stood up and started calling him names, screaming and yelling at him. He then roughly pushed her again till she fell the second time. Now, I was not going to just stand there idly watching them. So, I told him leave her alone. But then he..." Alison trailed taking deep breath, trying to put the words together without bloating the matter even worst.

"He what?"

"He was trying to intimidate me, he took a step closer and..." She paused not knowing how to finish the sentence realizing how enraged he was even before knowing the whole truth.

"And?"

"And he forced a kiss on me but then I kicked him in the balls and punched him." She waited and looked up to see his reactions.

"That bastard." He cursed under his breath, his jaws clenched.

"What happened to your wrist?"

"Yesterday, after the basketball game, we were waiting for you guys to come..." She peeked to see Jason knitting his eyebrow, already not liking where this was going.

"I wanted to get a soda, so I went to the vending machine where he came to me. He's just pissed that I got him down the other night. But I am fine now, it's fine."

"I met you right after he just hurt you and you didn't feel the need to tell me? Seriously!" He asked in disbelief.

"Was that the only time he came after you?" He questioned. Damn, he's so meticulous.

"Well, there was one other time, the following day right after the party. He came to me at the parking lot. That was it."

"How does Cole fit in the picture?"

"Well, when you found us at the parking lot that day, he called out to Tristan, he tried to make sure I was fine. As of yesterday, he was the one who pulled Tristan's hands off me as well. He saw what happened at the party the other night, and was as surprised as I am. That's it. End of story." She replied sheepishly.

"Damn it, Alison. Why didn't you tell me any of that? I would've taught him a lesson from the beginning so you won't be pestered any further." He infuriated.

"That's why I don't want to tell you, Jason. I don't want you punching anyone because of me." She reasoned.

"He'll get punched either way, Alison. For God's sake, I called you after the party and you just pretended like nothing happened."

"I know... I just... I don't want you to be worried about me. I don't want to bother you with my problems."

"Are you listening to yourself? Your problems are as good as mine, Alison. You'd rather hide that fact than telling me? Do you think I don't care enough about you that I would let you get hurt like that?"

"No. It's not like that."

"You weren't being honest about the whole incident to begin with and with Cole in the picture. That's just... I don't know, Alison." He exasperated.

"If he didn't come to me in time, I don't know... He actually did help me a few times, Jason." She reasoned, her temper slightly rising.

"Are you defending him, right now? Seriously?"

She lied to me! She doesn't trust me. Even had the nerves to defend him in front of me? That bastard got a hold on her, but not again! I won't let it happen the second time. For God's sake, she can't even trust me enough to tell me what's going on?

"It's not like that. Maybe, if only you could just explain to me what happened between the two of you..."

Why does she have to question me about him? Did he tell her things behind my back? Though, I shouldn't be assuming things about her like that. For god's sake she's been hiding behind those glasses and sweaters. She's not trying to wear those tight short clothes like those girls. She's different. She has to be different.

"There's nothing to explain and you're just changing the subject." He exasperated.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to keep you in the dark like that. I just don't want you to be worried about me. I'm sorry." She took his hand, gently rubbing it, knowing that her intention to solve her own problems did not go as plan.

"I know. I just want to be there for you and be able to protect you, knowing what happened like this just doesn't sit well with me. I care about you, Alison." He said softly.

"I care about you too and please don't get into a fight again, I don't like seeing you getting hurt. Truce?" She smiled giving out her pinky out towards him which he ignored instead he pulled her into a hug which she obliged happily.

"Truce."

Alison climbed up to her room and slumped herself on the bed, it had been a long day at school today. Sleep eluded her for a good long while as she thought about the whole incident and how it had affected her relationship with Jason. It was wrong for not being honest to him in the first place, but she refused to be a damsel who had to be saved, moreover, she would not want to bloat the problem than it already was. Although, it was wrong to think that she had the whole situation under control while the fact was that it was not.

Then, her mind drifted on the disappointed expression from Jason knowing that she had been keeping him in the dark, how was he supposed to react when he found out what secret she had been hiding for the past few months, her previous life. She walked towards the table, opened the box and took out the picture of her and Leah. The pretty long straight blonde-haired girl in her white tank top with silky fair skin and black high waisted shorts hugging a beautiful long wavy auburn-haired girl in her white sleeveless crop top and black mini skirt showing off her pearly white aligned teeth. Both teenage girls looked happy and free-spirited, posing outside the South California High School.

The two girls were walking through the school hallway towards their lockers while two more girls joined them, Gwen and Tatiana.

"Hey Ally, love your top. Anyway, we've got four tickets to... The Chainsmokers concert! Do you want to go together? Some of the boys will be going as well." Tatiana squealed in excitement.

"Oh my gosh! Are you kidding me? Chainsmokers! You've got the tickets? I freaking love them. So, baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover that I know you can't afford..." Alison exhilarated as the two other girls joined in the singing leaving Leah feeling much more left out than before.

"Let's go together." Alison turned to her quiet friend.

"Oh, we only got one extra ticket, sorry." Tatianna gave a sympathetic halfhearted answer.

"It's alright, you should go, Al. I'm not into concerts, anyway." She replied faintly.

"You sure? I would want nothing else than to watch them live." She tried to suppress her grin, then completely forgotten all about Leah as she turned to discuss further on their plans for the concert with Tatiana and Gwen, leaving Leah feeling more lost and somehow betrayed.